CWG 2022: PV Sindhu named India’s flagbearer following Neeraj Chopra's injury setback

Double Olympic medalist PV Sindhu will be Team India's flagbearer at the opening ceremony of the 2022 Commonwealth Games (CWG) at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham, England, on July 28. The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) made the announcement on Wednesday (July 27).

Defending champion Neeraj Chopra, who was supposed to be the nation's flagbearer, has been ruled out of the quadrennial showpiece event. The 24-year-old was forced to opt out of CWG after sustaining a groin strain during the finals of the 2022 World Athletics Championships, where he bagged a historic silver medal.

Earlier, Neeraj expressed his disappointment via his social media handles following the injury setback ahead of the Commonwealth Games.

A total of 164 athletes will take part in the opening ceremony. IOA Secretary General Rajeev Mehta extended his best wishes to PV Sindhu and Team India ahead of CWG 2022 and said:

“We are very happy to select PV Sindhu as India's flagbearer for the 2022 CWG opening ceremony. We extend our congratulations to her and wish her, and the other athletes of Team India, the very best for the Commonwealth Games.”

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CWG 2022 will see the highest number of female athletes and events

As many as 5,000 athletes representing 72 nations and territories will compete across 20 sporting disciplines at the 2022 CWG. As many as 280 medal events will take place across 15 venues located in nine different cities and towns across the UK.

The 2022 edition of the Commonwealth Games will witness the largest contingent of female athletes participating in the history of the Games, along with the highest number of events for women (136).

IOA acting president Anil Khanna congratulated PV Sindhu on being the nation's flagbearer at the event and said:

“It is with great pleasure that we announce PV Sindhu as the flagbearer for Team India. The other two athletes, Mirabai Chanu and Lovlina Borgohain were immensely deserving, too, but we went ahead with Sindhu considering her to be a two-time Olympic medalist.

"We hope that watching Sindhu as Team India's flagbearer at the Opening Ceremony will inspire millions of girls in India to take up sports.”

He added:

“The 2022 edition of the Commonwealth Games has the largest contingent of female athletes in the history of the Games, so the IOA sensed fit that we spotlight our commitment to gender equity, in adherence to the spirit of the Olympic Charter, by shortlisting three women athletes for the prestigious role of Team India’s flagbearer at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.